Climb
by MaddieKristine
Summary: This is written like the 2nd and 3rd books nvr happnd It is the 110th Hunger Games, and 14yearold Ivy has a family to support.How will a small girl from District11 survive the games? Story better than Summary.I DO NOT CLAIM TO OWN THE HUNGER GAMES! read!


One The Reaping

The smell of fire choked me as I ran. The tree roots seemed to reach and grab me from below. I tore through the woods, covering my mouth and nose with my thin shirt. I fell one last time, and everything went black.

…

I sat up straight in my hand woven bed, my shirt plastered to my body with sweat. _It was just a dream, Ivy. Just a dream._ I thought to myself. But what sort of event could bring such a nightmare? I racked my brain for some explanation. Of course. The reaping.

Every year here in Panem, one female and one male child is taken to an arena to fight to the death. The winner is showered in gifts and prizes, mostly consisting of money. To the people of the districts, it is torture. For the Capitol, it is entertainment.

I spring out of bed, my nightmare still haunting me. I walk quietly to the window seat, where my sisters' lie asleep.

" The sun is arising, my sweet little girls. Wake up with it, and explore the world." I sing softly. Lavender, who is ten, is the first to wake up.

" Morning, sissy," she says, her voice heavy with sleep.

" Rosie Posie, wake up sweetie," I whisper in to Rose's ear. She is six, and sleeps heavily. She groans and gives me a little grunt, then opens her brown eyes.

" Mornin'," she replies. I cant help but grin at her twang. She lost four teeth in the past two days, so she can't speak quite right. I give both girls a tight squeeze and head to the other side of the room, where my father sleeps.

" Daddy, time to get up. It's reaping day," I say softly. He opens his eyes and gives me a reassuring smile. He knows what a big risk I take every year, signing up for tessare. Im only fourteen, so under normal circumstances, my name would only be entered three times. But since we need the grain and oil, my name will be entered twelve times.

You become eligible for tessare at age twelve, when you are old enough to be put in the Hunger Games. Luckily, nor Lav or Rose are old enough. Plus, I wouldn't let them take any anyway.

Once everyone's awake, I go to work finding our nicest clothes. For me, that means a old white gown with lacy sleeves and a pair of my mother's black shoes. For the girls, that means identical pink dresses and white ribbons in their hair. My father will wear his button up black shirt and his shorts. Adults aren't required to dress up like minors.

Once everyone is cleaned and dressed, I put my hair up in my traditional swirled bun. But today, I add a little white rose, just for luck. I braid Lavender's hair into a intricate swirl of braided crowns. I put Rose's hair into two pigtails, since she refuses to wear it any other way.

By eleven, we are all ready to go. The reaping begins at noon, at which time a bell will sound, notifying any late comers to get their butts to the square. Anyone who is found in their homes after 12:05, will be whipped. Excluding anyone who is already on their death beds.

We leave our home, a little more than a shack, at eleven thirty, just to be safe.

When we arrive at the square, a ten minute walk from our house, there is already loads of people. My father walks us to our respective age groups, even though Lav and Rose aren't old enough. He saves me for last.

" Good luck sweetheart. I have faith in you," he said, and kisses me on the forehead. He then leaves me standing in a group of other fourteen year olds.

…

At precisely noon, a woman with bright orange hair and skin walks onto the stage. He name is Ripple Greenstone, and she hasn't changed a bit since I can remember. People in the Capitol are fond of surgery, a gruesome thing where they get plastic and rubber put underneath their skin. They even get their skins died colors, such as Ripple's, who's skin appears slightly pink.

Ripple starts every Hunger Games by saying , "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!" but she may as well be saying, "Hello and Welcome to your children's death, District Eleven!" Behind Ripple, Peacekeepers dressed in white stood with their guns menacingly.

"Happy Hunger Games." The crowd chorused, with no happiness what so ever. Ripple then launched into the traditional speech, of how the nation of Panem rose out of the ashes of a place once called North America. And how thirteen districts used to ring one place called the Capitol. Then, there was the rebellion. The Districts got tired of unfair treatment and destroyed everything. One district, District 13, was completely obliterated. They even showed videos of District 13 sometimes on the television, when it will turn on.

"Lets get started!" Ripple said, smiling to the cameras. " Deggar, would you like to do the honors?" Ripple said, turning to Deggar Wolfsan, the last person of District 11 to win the Hunger Games.

" Huffsha…" was all he said. Did I mention he won them sixty years ago? When he was 18? A Peacekeeper poked Deggar in the back with his gun.

" No thank you, Ripple. You may proceed," Deggar said, jolting awake. Ripple danced over to the two silver balls, one of which my name was entered twelve times.

"Ladies first!" she says, her voice filled with excitement. She rolls the ball, and sticks her hand in. " Lets see…" she mutters.

" Ivy Heraldsteen!" Ripple yells.

And my heart stopped beating.

…

I barely pay attention to anything else. The walk to the stage was a blur, as was the drawing for the male, Casper Beart. The news didn't really sink in until I was led by two Peacekeepers to a small sitting room. The door closed behind me and I instantly sank to my knees.

_Im going into the Arena._ I thought grimly. _Im going to die._

Just then, there was a sharp knock at the door and I straightened myself to a sitting position. However straight a person who is doomed can sit up.

"Ivy!" I hear Lavender and Rose scream. I let my arms encircle them both, our tears flowing freely. They don't speak, but I do.

"Its alright. I… I'll find a way back. I'll do whatever it takes to get back to you guys." I whisper. We all know it's a lie. I wont make it. There are kids who train for this, who fight over who will go to the Arena. Technically, its against the rules to train before the Games, but people do it anyway.

I looked up to my father, who was sitting on the floor in front of me. He smiled, but it didn't reach his watering eyes. He hugged us, Lavender, Rose and myself, until a Peacekeeper came in and announced it was time for them to go.

This only brought on another round of bawling from Rosie and Lav, which broke my heart. As my father walked out the door, he bent down and gave me a kiss, right where my mother used to.

"I love you, Ivy. Make your mother proud," he said, then they disappeared down the hallway.

" Another visitor, Miss Heraldsteen," A balding Peacekeeper said, sticking his head through the door. He gave me a sympathetic smile and let Avery, my best friend since before I can remember, in. Avery hugged me and cried, and I did the same.

After some time, she stepped away from me. Her fair blonde hair had been done up into intricate braids for the reaping. She wore a ivory dress with white velvet seams. The kind of dress only a merchant's child can afford to buy.

"Here," she said, holding out her hand. " They allow you to take a token to remember home. Take this."

She opened her palm, revealing a thick leather bracelet. The clasp was a little iron ball, which connected to a little hole. Pressed into the leather were little trees, laden with fruit, surrounded by wheat. I recognized the trees to be none other than Jugic Berry trees, the very same ones we harvest in the fields.

"Its beautiful. Where did you get it?" I asked her. I had never seen anything like it in the shops around the square.

"Your mother gave it to mine. It was my mother's fifteenth birthday present. She told me to give it to you," Avery said, tears threatening to spill over.

"Thank you. I'll wear it," I said, giving her another hug.

"I'll make sure your sisters have enough to eat, if…if… anything happens," She said. Her family owned a little food store in the town square.

The Peacekeeper knocked on the door once more, signaling her time was up.

"Good luck, Ivy," Avery said. "I'm betting on you."

After Avery was escorted down the hall, two armed Peacekeepers came into view, flanking Ripple.

"Would you two step away?" she said, clearly aggravated, "This dress costs more than your homes."

The Peacekeepers sidestepped away from her, but only by a few inches. Ripple sighed and trotted into the room.

"Hello Miss Heraldsteen! Congratulations!" Ripple shouted. I wondered if she was going to be like this the whole time. Loud, Obnoxious… Pink.

"Ooh. I see you have a token. May I see?" she asked, genuine curiosity coloring her voice. I handed the bracelet to her, and she examined it for a moment.

"Very pretty," was all she said, then began to walk down a hallway to a door, obviously knowing we would follow. Ripple opened the large, heavy door with the help of a heavily muscled guard. I recognized him from the whippings in the square.

When someone steals something in District 11, it is not taken lightly.

Behind the door was a platform, like one trains pull up to. I'd never seen a train before, and neither had Casper, so you can imagine the shock on our faces when we saw the sleek, blue and silver train rumbling toward us. The doors slid open before the train stopped, and we were ushered closer.

Casper stopped right in front of the doors and swept his arm to the side.

"Ladies first," he said, smiling.


End file.
